The Performing Arts Fund NL is committed to facilitating topical and distinctive performing arts that bring people together, touch them and lift them out of their everyday lives.

The Performing Arts Fund NL is one of six culture funds financed by the Dutch government. We invest in artistic development and support the production, presentation and promotion of professional performing arts in and from the Netherlands.

On behalf of the Dutch government and together with the performing arts field, we invest in a strong and vibrant performing arts climate for present and future generations. We perform our task in relation to the Basic Infrastructure for Culture (BIS) and provincial and municipal arts policies. Our scope extends across the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and includes the promotion of Dutch performing arts in an international context.

We make space for performing artists of different generations and artistic practices. New forms are constantly emerging across boundaries and disciplines. We support these developments. At the same time, we offer calm and stability through dependable knowledge and experience. We collaborate with a variety of partners in an approachable and visible way. We’re sensitive to the needs of a healthy performing arts sector and look out for the interests of those working in it.

In a context where choices must be made, we allocate public funds effectively and transparently. In doing so, we’re supported by a large pool of independent advisors with different backgrounds and areas of expertise. We view the performing arts sector as an all-encompassing, interconnected system of parties that sometimes work with public funding, and sometimes without it. We're aware of professionals' differing needs and interests, and meet these with a broad range of grants, programmes and projects.

Performing arts reflect the times we live in. They energise, inspire and bring beauty. We want everyone in the Netherlands and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to have access to performing arts, so that they can be lifted out of their everyday lives, be touched, or discover new ways of thinking about themselves and the world.

The collective experience in the here and now reminds us that there's always a sense of togetherness – even if we don’t see eye to eye. The multitude of voices and perspectives is the very foundation of our sector.

Keeping ourselves up to date on the latest developments in the performing arts and understanding the challenges the sector faces are essential to the work we do. They help us develop programmes and support initiatives that stimulate artistic growth in a blossoming and innovative performing arts field. In everything we do, we are professional and diligent. We invite experts from the arts world to advise us, so that our decisions to appoint funds are supported by specialist, hands-on knowledge.


We are accessible and take a professional and friendly approach to anyone who contacts us. We are empathic and make sure people feel welcome and understood. Our team is specifically alert to those who are unfamiliar with us, but for whom the Fund could be of interest. Clear objectives and criteria guide the allocation of funds. The performing arts should be accessible to a wide audience, so we too are accessible to a wide variety of applicants. Together, they can reach as many different people as possible.


We closely follow developments in the performing arts and society, which enables us to respond to innovation and change. We encourage applicants to present new ideas and groundbreaking projects, including international collaborations. This applies both to established performing artists and venues and talented newcomers.

By making space for new forms, exchanges and perspectives, the performing arts remain in motion. We also continue to learn and develop ourselves.